Free QR Code Generator — No Sign Up Required
QR codes are everywhere — restaurant menus, business cards, product packaging, event tickets, Wi-Fi sharing, and payment systems. They're the bridge between the physical world and digital content. But most QR code generators want your email, limit free usage, or plaster watermarks on your codes. Here's a better way.
What Is a QR Code?
QR (Quick Response) codes are two-dimensional barcodes that can store text, URLs, contact information, Wi-Fi credentials, and more. Invented in 1994 by Denso Wave for tracking automotive parts, QR codes went mainstream with smartphone cameras that can scan them instantly. Today, every modern phone has a built-in QR reader — just point your camera at a QR code and it works.
How to Generate a QR Code for Free
- Open the generator — Go to the free QR code generator.
- Enter your content — Type or paste a URL, text, phone number, or other data.
- Download your QR code — Your code is generated instantly in your browser. Save it as a high-resolution image.
No account needed. No email required. No watermarks. No usage limits. The QR code is generated entirely in your browser — your data isn't sent to any server.
Create a QR code right now — free, instant, no strings attached.
Generate QR Code →What Can You Put in a QR Code?
- Website URLs — The most common use. Link to your website, a specific page, a landing page, or a social media profile.
- Plain text — Any text message up to about 4,000 characters.
- Wi-Fi credentials — Share your Wi-Fi network name and password. Scanning the code auto-connects the device.
- Contact cards (vCard) — Embed your name, phone, email, and address. Scanning adds you as a contact.
- Email addresses — Pre-fill a new email with recipient, subject, and body text.
- Phone numbers — Scanning initiates a phone call.
- SMS messages — Pre-fill a text message to a specific number.
- Geographic coordinates — Link to a location on maps.
QR Code Best Practices
- Keep URLs short — Shorter data creates simpler QR codes that are easier to scan. Use a URL shortener for long links.
- Test before printing — Always scan your QR code with multiple devices before committing it to print.
- Maintain contrast — QR codes need high contrast to scan reliably. Dark modules on a light background works best. Avoid placing codes on busy backgrounds.
- Don't make them too small — For print, aim for at least 2cm × 2cm (0.8in × 0.8in). For billboards or signage scanned from a distance, larger is better.
- Add a quiet zone — Leave white space around the QR code. The quiet zone helps scanners identify the code boundaries.
- Use error correction — QR codes have built-in error correction. Higher levels allow the code to remain scannable even if partially obscured or damaged.
Static vs Dynamic QR Codes
There's an important distinction in the QR code world:
- Static QR codes — The data is encoded directly in the QR pattern. Once created, the content can't be changed. These are what our generator creates — they work forever, with no dependencies.
- Dynamic QR codes — The QR code points to a redirect URL controlled by a service. The destination can be changed later, and scans can be tracked. These require a paid subscription and depend on a third-party service staying online.
For most use cases, static QR codes are the better choice. They're simpler, more reliable, free, and don't depend on any external service. Dynamic codes make sense only when you specifically need to change the destination after printing or need scan analytics.
Common QR Code Use Cases
- Business cards — Link to your portfolio, LinkedIn, or a vCard with your contact info.
- Restaurant menus — Replace paper menus with a QR link to your online menu.
- Product packaging — Link to instruction manuals, warranty registration, or product videos.
- Event tickets — Encode ticket IDs for quick check-in scanning.
- Wi-Fi sharing — Print a QR code for your guest Wi-Fi instead of sharing passwords verbally.
- Real estate — Link from yard signs to property listing pages.
More Free Tools
Building something? These tools might help too:
- Image Compressor — Optimize images for web use.
- Password Generator — Create strong, random passwords.
- Base64 Encoder — Encode data for embedding in URLs or HTML.
Every tool on This 2 That is free, requires no account, and processes everything in your browser.